‘Stealth Omicron’: Know all about fast-spreading sub-strain

Amid rising cases of coronavirus and Omicron cases across the globe, a new sub-variant of Omicron — ‘Stealth Omicron’ — has raised concerns over transmissible strains of Covid-19 that could spark larger Covid waves globally. The new sub-variant, BA.2, has been designated as a ‘variant under investigation’ by the UK authorities. The sub-lineage has been dubbed as ‘stealth Omicron’ which was designated in early December last year. As of January 10, 2022, 53 sequences of BA.2 had been identified in the UK. Also Read | People should learn to live with Covid-19: Top infectious disease expert

How many sub-strains does Omicron have?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are three sub-strains in the Omicron variant: BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3. It further said that around 99 percent of the cases sequenced were having the BA.1 sub-strain. Meanwhile, several sub-variants have been emerging, especially in Europe. Apart from the United Kingdom, the BA.2 has emerged in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The scientists in France and India have also issued warnings about the transmission of the BA.2 sub-variant, which is expected to outpace other strains of the Omicron variant. Denmark has been reporting over 30,000 cases this week which is 10 times more than the peak in the previous wave of Covid-19.

Why is it called ‘stealth Omicron’?

When the Omicron variant was discovered, the scientists stated that its original strain - the BA.1 - has a mutation in the form of a deletion in the “S” or spike gene which was detected by the RT-PCR tests. However, the BA.2 sub-strain does not have the same mutation which is why it was called ‘stealth Omicron’. Also Read | News of Lata Mangeshkar’s death is FAKE! Don’t give wind to false news -PTC News